Colombia’s fourth-largest city is a key port and industrial hub on the Caribbean coast, at the mouth of the mighty Magdalena River. Home to free trade zones and logistics facilities, Barranquilla is quietly building a reputation as an important business city, particularly for chemicals, pharmaceuticals, energy and business process outsourcing services.

Getting around proves easy and inexpensive in private taxis; just make sure to book via Uber, InDrive or DiDi apps rather than negotiating a fare with one of the many unmetered street taxis. Even if you don’t use InDrive normally, it’s worth downloading for your trip, as travelers report fares are significantly lower than Uber. Also remember to factor in some buffer time around important meetings, as Barranquilla traffic can be unpredictable. Other options include the Transmetro bus rapid transit system, featuring its own dedicated lanes and therefore able to zoom past queues of ordinary traffic, but only one line serves the whole city.

Once safely ensconced in your accommodation and ready to begin your day, you’ll find a number of great spots for a working breakfast. For a classy meal and meeting try Restaurante y Repostería Nancy Cabrera, with an attractive terrace, or Botero’s Café, which is so popular reservations are recommended. Alternatively, check out The Fit Bar Café, set up with everything remote workers need such as fast WiFi and spacious desks, as well as offering a healthy menu so you can start your day the right way.

As for lunch, treat yourself to the full seafood experience at Varadero, known for its large portions, or go for the tasting menu at Cucayo, offering modern Colombian cuisine. For something slightly less formal, Spanish tapas spots El Celler and traditional Colombian Caribbean restaurant La Cueva make good choices. World-renowned author Gabriel García Márquez, who wrote One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera, dined at La Cueva on a regular basis. If you need something quick, grab a table at one of the many informal restaurants that serve up a set lunch menu, or almuerzo ejecutivo, for bargain prices.

At dinner, consider Kinto Elemento, a fine-dining restaurant known for its strong cocktail list, or Rodizio Carne e Vinho, a Brazilian barbecue spot where you can linger over fine cuts of meat and even finer wines. If you want sushi, Hiroshi is the place to be, with Noa also highly regarded. For an elevated local experience check out Manuel, where owner Manuel Mendoza, a native Barranquillero, has received many plaudits for combining the traditional cooking of Colombia’s Caribbean coast with European culinary techniques. The menu leans heavily toward seafood, but the Brazilian steak cut picanha provides a delicious meat option.

PHOTO: © IHG HOTELS & RESORTS

Looking to entertain clients for a sundowner or post-dinner drinks? Head to one of Barranquilla’s many rooftop bars to catch the sunset and breeze off the ocean. Kava Rooftop & Gastro-Bar proves one of the most popular spots, serving both food and drinks, while Raval Rooftop caters to a trendier crowd. Hotel bars such as those at the Dann Carlton and Estelar en Alto Prado offer good easy options, and Skybar at Crowne Plaza Barranquilla boasts great views from the 13th floor. For a more curated night out, take clients to Donde Chucho, famed for its rum selection, and then dance the night away at La Troja, the most famous Latin nightclub in the city.

In short, while Barranquilla certainly isn’t a city on the same scale as Bogotá or Medellín, it boasts plenty of good bars, restaurants and hotels where you can take meetings and get to know clients better. And with Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, cultivating strong ties with U.S. President Donald Trump, there is a chance Barranquilla’s port and industrial sectors could benefit from an uptick in investment, with De la Espriella promising notably more pro-business policies than his predecessor, Gustavo Petro. As a result, a wave of U.S. executives may find themselves flying in to do deals and experience life in Barranquilla for themselves. The lucky ones might also be able to time their trip to experience the Carnival of Barranquilla, one of the largest carnivals in the world, taking place every year over the four days before Lent, turning the city into a giant party with live music, dancing and a huge parade.